One question looms large over the boondoggle that is the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race: Is this any way to choose a premier?

There’s every likelihood that the winner, to be announced Saturday, will be the next premier of Ontario.

It’s not official until the provincial election in June. But barring major upheavals, the new PC leader will inherit the Queen’s Park throne.

A recent poll by Ipsos for Global Television shows the Conservatives are still well ahead of the governing Liberals in popularity, in spite of all the machinations of the leadership race.

That’s partly because if any premier in history ever deserved the hook, it’s Kathleen Wynne. Her government’s mismanagement has brought the province to its knees in many ways.

We don’t have enough space to list all problems, but chief among them is the power fiasco and the problems it has caused families and businesses.

With at least five parties in Ontario, there are options besides the Conservatives. Except on close examination, they’re not viable.

Too far right for many mainstream Ontarians, the fledgling Trillium party holds promise for the future.

One of the most interesting planks in the party’s platform would protect whistle blowers who report waste and corruption in government.

The NDP has been around much longer, but doesn’t have the horses to pull the wagon of government, particularly at the leadership level.

One comment in an online poll about Andrea Horwath sums up the problem: “I find her very uninspiring.”

This will be Horwath’s third election as leader. When she first hit the leadership scene, comments that were common included, “If only Horwath was leading one of the mainstream parties (Grits or Tories) we’d have somebody to vote for.” Nobody says that anymore.

In January on the topic of the justice system, Horwath said, “I really have two words about the justice system: ‘Jian Ghomeshi.’ ”

That was not only flippant but also irresponsible. Certainly our justice system could be improved, but the evidence presented at the Gomeshi trial did not reach a burden of proof that protects us all.

And then there are the Greens. After coming second and third in some ridings in the 2007 election, the Greens have sunk back to also-ran status. That is unlikely to change.

So we’re back to the Conservatives and which leadership candidates might lead Ontario.

Tanya Granic Allen is determined to rid the province of the sex education curriculum introduced by the Wynne Liberals.

Granic Allen also said she is prepared to “rip wind turbines out of the ground” because long-term deals signed by the government have locked Ontario into high electrical prices.

That position will appeal to many rural voters and might shake loose her rep as a one-trick pony.

Christine Elliott has a more nuanced approach to wind power. She said existing contracts should be honoured (that is open to debate) while she pledged to review policies that have led to soaring power rates.

Caroline Mulroney agreed power rates are off the charts. “Of all the things that the Liberals have done to harm the province of Ontario, the mess that they have made of our electricity system ranks at the top . . . and it’s chasing our businesses away.”

Doug Ford has made it clear that he also has questions about so-called green energy projects.

Perhaps it doesn’t matter if this leadership contest is an ideal process for choosing a premier, since we’re stuck with it doing exactly that.